Population:about 100-130 milion in the second century CE
Problems it caused:
Pollution (smoke from grills, litter)
Epidemics (spread easier)
Not enough food
Too much waste
Not enough police to control so many people (crime was common)
Apartments were dirty and cramped
Other Notes:
Rome had the largest population ever until the Industrial Age.
It took up 40% of the world
Plagues in the 60-70s AD lowered the population.
Some sites said that the population in the second century CE was 50 million, but Stanford and UNVA, both very credible cites, said that it was 100-130 million.
90% of people lived in the countryside
any family with more than 2 kids increases the population
once, rome closed its walls and let nobody in temporarily.
rome was 2,510,000 square miles
Possible Solutions:
If familys have more than 2 children, their taxes will be raised
Everyone should be educated
There should be a limit of how many people are allowed to live in each city
If this is done, the population would be stable.
Detailed Plan:
Both boys and girls should be educated in Math, Science, Reading, and Philosophy at least until they are 16.
This would help the population to be stable because girls would be educated and able to get a job. They would also not get married and thus have children too early. Education would be paid for by the government.
2. From now on, a family that has more than 2 kids will have their taxes raised by 2%
This would make people less likely to have more than 2 children. If they only have 2 children, the population would not be increased in the long run. It would not take away their freedom, but would be very effective.
3. Immigrants must pay a fee to enter cities, especially the city of Rome. They should also pay taxes equal to a citizen for as long as they are in the city.
This would prevent too many immigrants from coming into cities and making them crowded. If they paid taxes, the government would have more money.
4. Girls should be allowed to get a job once they finish school. If they had the opportunity to hold a job, there would be another option besides marriage. That would make there be less children being born. Present Day:
A lot of people say that overpopulation is a problem today.
There are about 7 billion people in the world today.
People living in the United States consume 2 times as much as someone living in Japan.
There have been more births than deaths.
Some concerns of overpopulation include:
Prices of gasoline are high because the demand has exceeded the natural resources.
Prices of fish are high because 90% of the big fish are gone.
The earth is polluted with plastics, in part because of shortage of natural materials.
Rivers and bays are polluted because of high level of population and industrialization.
Electric energy is insufficient because traditional sources of energy are limited.
Wild animals are disappearing because of over-hunting and environmental destruction.
Countries have created wildlife preserves and identified endangered species.
Large predators have disappeared because of clashes with too many people.
Natural flora is being wiped out to make place for cash crops to feed the hungry humans.
Governments are regulating hunting, fishing, and recreation because of too many people.
Property taxes have increased dramatically because of a lack of suitable land.
Cost of living is very high because of short supply of food, energy, and shelter.
Noise pollution and light pollution are so high that they disrupt normal biorhythm.
Even the most pristine parts of the world have man-polluted air, soil, and water.
Automobile traffic is slow and causes air pollution because of too many cars and people.
Countries go to war for natural resources and living space because of too many people.
Because of overpopulation, politicians have begun talking about "controlled growth" and "family planning."
China has set laws that determine how many children people are allowed to have.
Final Project
People:
scheidel@stanford.edu
SuzyMChale
Population:about 100-130 milion in the second century CE
Problems it caused:
Other Notes:
- Rome had the largest population ever until the Industrial Age.
- It took up 40% of the world
- Plagues in the 60-70s AD lowered the population.
- Some sites said that the population in the second century CE was 50 million, but Stanford and UNVA, both very credible cites, said that it was 100-130 million.
- 90% of people lived in the countryside
- any family with more than 2 kids increases the population
- once, rome closed its walls and let nobody in temporarily.
- rome was 2,510,000 square miles
Possible Solutions:- If familys have more than 2 children, their taxes will be raised
- Everyone should be educated
- There should be a limit of how many people are allowed to live in each city
If this is done, the population would be stable.Detailed Plan:
- Both boys and girls should be educated in Math, Science, Reading, and Philosophy at least until they are 16.
This would help the population to be stable because girls would be educated and able to get a job. They would also not get married and thus have children too early. Education would be paid for by the government.2. From now on, a family that has more than 2 kids will have their taxes raised by 2%
This would make people less likely to have more than 2 children. If they only have 2 children, the population would not be increased in the long run. It would not take away their freedom, but would be very effective.
3. Immigrants must pay a fee to enter cities, especially the city of Rome. They should also pay taxes equal to a citizen for as long as they are in the city.
This would prevent too many immigrants from coming into cities and making them crowded. If they paid taxes, the government would have more money.
4. Girls should be allowed to get a job once they finish school.
If they had the opportunity to hold a job, there would be another option besides marriage. That would make there be less children being born.
Present Day:
Cites:
TCI textbook
http://www.princeton.edu/~pswpc/pdfs/scheidel/070706.pdf
http://www.unrv.com/empire/roman-population.php
http://www.lucidpages.com/doom.html